Addressing machine



Dec. 1924- 1,519,119

A. DE MEURISSE ADDRESSING MACHINE Filed Sept. 29, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A. DE MEURISSE ADDRESSING MACHINE Filed Sept. 29, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 x w a INVEN TOR.

A TTUANEYS. 7

Patented Dec. 16, 1924.

. UNITED STATES ALFRED DI: MEURISSE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

- AD'DBESSING MACHINE.

Application filed September 29, 1923. Serial No. 665,542.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, ALFRED DE MEUBISSE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Addressing Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is a machine intended pnmarily to facilitate and expedite the addressing of envelopes, postal cards, form letters, etc., although it is not restricted n practice to these particular uses, since, it is adapted by virtue of its construction to be used for the purpose of applying bank stamps to checks, receipting bills, or printing any appropriate combination of words or letters upon any suitable paper or document. In fact, it is adapted for general application and is intended especially to expedite oflice practice.

In one of its preferred practlcal forms, it embodies a stationary table or bed above which an impression surface is mounted for reciprocation in perpendicular relation to the table or bed. Positioned at the opposite ends of the table are feed and take up rolls through the conjoint operation of which an inking ribbon is adapted to be fed across the table and beneath the impression member while guided during its travel by a r1bbon guide, so mounted that it normally is spaced intermediate the table and the 1mpression member. The guide is so constructed as to protect and house that portion of the ribbon which extends across the table except at the point of impression,

so that a form member or plate may be positioned on the table beneath the guide and an envelope or other papers positioned on the guide and below the IIIIPI'QSSlOIl member without either being smudged by the inking ribbon which is maintained free from en agement with both by the ribbon guide. When the parts are in position, the impression member is adapted to be forced down wardly on to the top of the paper or en.

velope to be printed and the force of the impression member presses the paper down on to the ribbon and the ribbon down on to the form member or plate which acts through the ribbon to print upon the envelope or paper. 'The parts are so mounted as to permit of free introduction .of the form member or the paper envelope before printing and to disengage both parts afterthe printin operation so that they may both be remove without smudging.

The device is simple in construction, may be economically manufactured and manually operated with neatness and dispatch.

The form member used in conjunction with the machine constitutes a novel and important feature of this invention, since in accordance with the invention the form member may constitute a thin metallic plate which has been operated upon by a d1e to stamp up from the material thereof the indicia which it is desired to print at any particular operation. This form may consist of one or more lines. The thin metallic form is detachably mounted on a card of'a size while adapting it for use in a card index through a novel and efiicient mounting which permits of a change of forms should occasion require.

The cards may be contained in a card index drawer or file in a manner common to cardindexing and the front of the card has delineated thereon the subject matter contained in the form mounted on the back of the card, so that in employing the'invention'in connection with envelope addressing systems, the operator merely goes through the card index, taking out the cards in succession and successively usin them in the machine to position the metallic form members "supported thereon in position to print the successive envelopes. In accordance with this system however certain cards may be skipped as is frequently desirable in sending out mailing lists.

The invention embodies .certain other novel features not only relative to the card and the manner of mounting the form plates thereon, but to the machine in general and these novel features and the advantages thereof will be more specifically pointed out in the following detailed description and appended claims, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one practical embodiment of the invention, but the construction therein shown is to be understood as illustrative, only, and not as defining the limits of the invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation ofthe device embodying' the present invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the dev1ce.-

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the bed or table detached with guiding means shown p-artly'broken away in the interest of clearness.

Figure .4 is a section on the line 44 of Figure 2, certain parts being omitted.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the ribbon guide with a cooperating ribbon and feed and take up rolls associated therewith.

Figure 6 shows a portion of the construction of Figure 5 in fragmental section perspective and illustrating more clearly the relationship between the parts.

Figure 7 is a View of the back of one of the cards adapted to carry the printing plate or form and to be used aspart of card index systems; and,

Figure 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates a goose neck standard provided with a suitable base 2 and carrying a reciprocating plunger 3 on which the impression member 4 is operatively secured. The plunger 3 is adapted to be operated by a cam or eccentric 5 havingassociated handle 6 to facilitate its manipulation in a downward direction while a spring serves to normally elevate the plunger and swing the handle into the raised position shown in the drawings. The impression member 4: is preferably provided with a facing 7 of any suitable yieldable material, such as leather in order to effect uniform and clear impression.

Fixed on the standard 1 in a plane perpendicular to the axis of reciprocation of the plunger and beneath the impression member is a table or bed 8 occupying a stationary position and provided with suitable adjustable guides to facilitate the positioning of the paper or envelope to be printed relative to the bed. The back guide 9 is in the form of a strip of metal extending longitudinally across the rear end of the bed and carried on dove-tail bars 10 which operate within dove-tail guides 11 mounted on the under side of the table so that the guide 9 may be shifted fore and aft with respect to the table, as will be clearly understood. The end guide 12 is mounted on the back guide 9 by a dove tail rod 18 rigid with the guide 12 and extending into a dove tail guideway 14 on the .rear of the back guide. A thumb screw 15 threaded through the bar 13 permits the end guide to be locked in the desired position of adjustment.

The bed 8 is further provided with a fixed stop 16 extending along its rear edge and for a slight distance above its upper face, while short wings 17 are provided along the lateral edges of the bed and adjacent the forward edge thereof to facilitate the placing of the form upon the bed in accurate position relative to the impression member.

Extending across the machine above the bed and below the impression member is a ribbon guide shown best in Figures 5 and 6. This ribbon guide embodies a flat'metallic plate 18, the center of which is cut out as shown at 19 to provide an opening substantially coextensive with and juxtaposed with the impression surface of the impression member. Extending downwardly from the opposite ends of this guide plate are brackets 20 which support two ribbon rolls for rotation, one of these rolls being the feed roll and the other the take up roll and vice versa depending upon the direction in which the ribbon is fed. The rolls may be operated by means of the finger pieces 21 and are normally maintained against inadvertent rotation by helical springs 22 coiled about the spindles of the rolls between the heads of the finger piece 21 and adjacent brackets 20. These springs exert sufficient friction to maintain the parts against inadvertent rotation. The ribbon 23 is coiled about both rolls and is led upwardly and along the under surface of the guide plate 18, antifriction means, such as a circular rod 24 being provided at each end of the plate so that as the ribbon travels under the plate and in engagement with the face thereof, it will not be subjected to excessive wear or friction.

By rotating either of the finger pieces 21, the ribbon may be manually fed to present unused portions thereof to the opening 1!) in order to insure clear and sharp impressions.

In order to normally maintain the ribbon free from contact with the form a shield is positioned beneath the ribbon and is secured to the plate. This shield is desig nated 25 and may be made of paper, celluloid or other suitable material having a cut out 26 registering with the cut out 19 of the plate 18. The shield is held in position by means of straps 27 passing over the top of the plate and adhesively secured to the under side of the shield. A piece of glazed paper or oil silk 28 is preferably positioned above the shield and beneath the ribbon at each end of the shield so that as the ribbon traverses these portions of its travel, it will slide smoothly and will not rub off or smudge.

The ribbon guide or carrier is provided at each of its lateral edges and near its rear edge with a hinge member 29 and a pin 30 passes through both hinge members and through complementary hinge'members 31 fixed on the under side of the bed 8 for the purpose of mounting the ribbon guide for pivotal movement toward and away from the bed. Springs 31 mounted on the bed engage the carrier near the forward edge thereof and normally tilt it up into the position shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4, so that a form may be readily slid along the bed and ribbon guide without engaging of a metal plate 32 of relativel thin stoc and on which plate is embosse the letters, characters or s mbols which are to be rinted. Any suita le material ma be emp oyed in the construction of the p ate 32, but I find in practice that phosphor bronze gives very satisfactory results. This material is strong and springy in its nature and if made thin may be readily operated upon by a die to stamp up in bold relief from the plate proper thecharacters which it is desired to rint. The form holder is prefer-' abl in t e form of a card 33 of the shape an proportions commonly used in card indices. This card may be made of cardboard fibre or any other suitable material. The card carries two eyelets 34 which project beyond the .baek thereof and in spaced relation to one another and the form plate 32 is notched at its opposite ends as shown at 35 and is of such length that the distance between the bases of the two notches 35 is substantially equal to the distance between the two eyelets 34. One lateral half of one end of the form plate is cut away on a bevel as shown at 36 producing a bevelled lead to one of the notches 35, so that after the other notch 35 has been engaged with one eyelet 34 the plate may be swung about this eyelet to bring the bevelled portion 36 into engagement with the other eyelet whereupon continued rotation will cause the plate to buckle slightly until the adjacent notch 35 comes into registration with the cooperating eyelet whereupon the plate will spring into the dotted line position shown in Figure 7 and will be maintained in such position through its inherent resiliency until it is desired to remove the plate whereupon the operations described are reversed. This mode of attachment facilitates the positioning of a form on or removal from its mounting although normally the form remains on its mounting and constitutes therewith an element or unit of a card index, If desired, the card 33 may be provided at its lower edge with a strip 37;xtending along said edge and spaced therefrom throughout the length of the card, said strip forming a pocket adapted toreceive one edge of a leaf or supplemental card 38, the other edge of the card 38 being held closely to the card 33 by virtue of its projection beneath the contiguous edge of the form plate 32 as clearly shown in Figures 7 and 8.

On the supplemental card 38 any suitable information or data may be inscribed, such for example as the charges made against the club member of a club employing the system of the present invention in connection with the mailing of monthly statements. I

Figure 7 shows the back of the card and.

on the reverseside, which is not shown in the drawing, is printed, typewritten or otherwise delineated in clearly readable .form the same characters or subject matter as contained on the form late 32, so that when'a number of these car s are placed in the card index, the printing on the front of the card will show at once the subject matter which the associated form will print, thereby facilitating the use of the system.

/ In employingythe construction shown in Figures 7 and 8, the card 33 with the forms mounted thereon is slid on to the bed 8 of 1 the apparatusuntil the top edge of the card engages each stop 16, while the lateral edge of the card is positioned in a; lateral direc tion by means of'the flanges 17. When the card is thus ositioned the form will be automatically rought into registration with the impression member and the openings 19 and 26 of the ribbon guide.

If an envelope is now positionedonto of the ribbon guide and slid back until 1t engages the back guide 9 and laterally until it engages the end guide 12, it will be automatically positioned to receive the impression. It will. of course be understood that the form is positioned on the bed face up and that the envelope is positioned in the guide face down. If the handle 6 is now operated the impression member 4 will be forced downwardly engaging the back of the envelope and causing it to be borne downwardly against the ribbon and the ribbon in turn borne downwardly against the form so that the raised letters or characters on the fill will react against the ribbon to effect the impression on the face of the envelope. As

soon as the impression is completed, the handle may be raised either manually or by spring pressure when the handle is released to release the envelope and permits its removal while the springs 31 automatically lift the ribboncarrier to permit the ready removal of the form mounting and form and the insertion of another one to print the next envelope in the same manner. If the machine is designed for the sole purpose of printing envelopes of one size, the guides abank stamp for stamping checks for deposit, or for receipting bills or for any other phraseology and use as may be desired.

It is for these reasons that the guides are made adjustable so as to permit the accurate positioning of papers of difl'erent sizes and shapes and the accurate positioning of the printing thereon.

The invention is manifestly capable of a wide variety of uses and providesa system to be used in conjunction with the card index arrangement which renders the mailing of monthly statements or notices or other information capable of being performed with ease and expedition. The form holder is in effecta combined support. for the form and index and while the supplemental card 38 will be found useful in many environments its employment is not essential and it may be dispensed with in connection with certain uses. The form mounting and form are light in weight and the assembly is very compact in rendering its use in a card index holder or drawer in large numbers. In practice, the invention will till many uses frequently fulfilled by rubber stamps which are impossible to properly adjust and are cheap and unsightly in appearance. The form plates are inexpensive. and may be furnished at a small cost. inasmuch as they are simply produced by an embossing machine operating upon relatively inexpensive material.

The foregoing detailed description and the accompanying drawings set forth the invention in its preferred practical form and which is manufactured for use... It will be understood however that the invention is not. restricted to all of the details of construction illustrated in the drawings and. that it is fully commensurate with the ap-- pended claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A machine of the character described embodying a stationary bed, an impression member mounted to reciprocate toward and away from the face of the bed, a ribbon carrier pivoted with respect to the bed, means mounted on the carrier for shifting a ribbon across the bed and beneath the impression member, a flat form adapted to be positioned face up on the bed to be supported thereby beneath the ribbon carrier, and means for guiding the article to be printed on into proper position beneath the impression member and above the ribbon whereby the operation of the impression member will force said article against the ribbon and force the ribbon against the form to effect the impression.

2. A machine of the character described embodying a stationary bed, an impression member mounted to reciprocate toward and away from the face of the bed, a ribbon carrier pivoted with respect to the bed,".

ported thereby beneath the ribbon carrier,

adjustable guides to facilitate the accurate positioning of an article to be printed upon beneath the impression member and above the ribbon carrier, and means for actuating the impression member to force said article on to' the ribbon and to force the ribbon against the form whereby impression is effected. v

3. A machine of the character described embodying a stationary form bed, an impression member operable toward and away from the form bed, an inking ribbon extending across the bed beneath the impression member, means for normally yieldably maintaining the ribbon above the bed to permit a flat form to be positioned on the bed to be supported thereby beneath the ribbon without engaging with the ribbon, means for normally retracting the impres- S1011 member to permit an article to be printed upon to be placed between the ribbon and the impression member. and means for thereupon advancing the impression member to force the article to be printed upon against the ribbon and to force the ribbon against the form whereby impression is accomplished.

4. A machine of the character described embodying a stationary form bed on which a flat form is adapted to be positioned, an impression member movable toward and away from the form bed, a ribbon guide provided with an opening registering with the impression member. means for normally yieldably maintaining the ribbon guide above and free from engagement with the bed and form, a ribbon associated with the guide and housed therein so that both the upper and lower faces of the ribbon are protected to preclude smudging, and means for forcing the impression member downwardly upon an article positioned between the impression member and ribbon guide to force said article against the ribbon and force the ribbon against the form wherebv impression is effected.

5. A machine of the character described en'ibodying a stationary form bed on which a flat form. is adapted to be positioned, an impression member movable toward and away from the form bed, a ribbon guide provided with an opening registering with the impression member, means for normally yieldably maintaining the ribbon guide above and free from engagement with the bed and form, a ribbon associated with the guide and housed therein so that both the upper and lower faces of the ribbon are protected to preclude smudging. and means for forcing the impression member downwardly upon an article positioned between the impression member and ribbon guide to force said article against the ribbon and force the ribbon against the form whereby impression is effected, guides for effecting proper registration of the form with the impression member, and guides for accurately positioning the article to be printed relative to the form.

6. A machine of the character described embodying a stationary bed provided with guides, a flat form secured to a form mounting and adapted to be laid on the bed faced upwardly, an impression member mounted for movement toward and away from the bed and adapted to register'with the form, a ribbon guide pivotally mounted above the bed and with respect thereto, means for normally resiliently elevating the guide above the bed to permit the form and mounting to be positioned on and removed from the bed without engagement with the ribbon guide, feed and take up rolls associated with the guide, a ribbon passing from one roll to the other, means associated with the rolls for operating the ribbon in either direction, said ribbon being housed within the guide to preclude smudging with respect to the form positioned beneath the guide and an article to be printed upon laid above the guide and beneath the impression member, and means for forcing the impression mem her down on tothe article to be printed to thereby force said article against the ribbon and the ribbon against the form to effect the impression.

In testimony whereof I have signed the foregoing specification.

ALFRED DE MEURISSE. 

